


Sand and Ashes

by EarendilElwing



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Flirting, Fluff, Getting Together, Grief/Mourning, Idiots in Love, M/M, alternative version of "Belief", episode rewrites, teaching au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-25
Updated: 2017-02-07
Packaged: 2018-09-19 21:58:16
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9461927
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EarendilElwing/pseuds/EarendilElwing
Summary: When Steve McGarrett returns home to Hawaii, he decides to take a teaching gig at the Honolulu Police Academy.  One of his new co-workers happens to be a hot-headed Jersey detective, on the hunt for his partner's killer.





	1. A New Career Path

**Author's Note:**

  * For [erienne](https://archiveofourown.org/users/erienne/gifts).



> This is a long overdue gift for Erienne, who requested a teaching au-type fic as a prize for my Follower Appreciation/Holiday giveaway. I turned up much longer than I first anticipated. I hope you enjoy it!

There was no question that Steve McGarrett had a rough couple of weeks upon his return home to Hawaii.  The most pressing and difficult matter had been making funeral arrangements for his murdered father, though informing his estranged sister about it was a close second.  Following that, he’d had to go through all the extra tasks that one didn’t always consider when burying a loved one: closing accounts, settling debts, sorting out the insurance and a will, and packing up the belongings he couldn’t or didn’t want to keep in memorandum.

Even though he and his father hadn’t been particularly close over the last few years, they’d still loved and respected one another.  When all was said and done, Steve was left stranded in a metaphorical desert, alone in his childhood home that felt far too big for one man, few friends he could really confide in, and – having decided to withdraw from active duty – without a steady job.

For what felt like a long time, he merely existed.  He went through the motions of daily rituals and drank himself into oblivion when darkness closed in around him, bringing with it bad memories and guilt that he had been unable to prevent his father’s death, or participate in the capture of his killers.

But that was no way to live, and eventually, his military discipline kicked in and forced him to reassemble his life into something at least functional, if not fulfilling.  And step one of that process was to find himself a new career path.

* * *

 Detective Chin Ho Kelly was waiting for him when he pulled up to the building.  He was seated on a bench near the front entrance, and he broke into a friendly smile when he caught sight of Steve.

“Hey, Chin.”  Steve reached for the man’s hand and pulled him into a bro-hug.  “Thanks for helping me get this job.  I really appreciate it.”

Chin shrugged.  “All I did was set up an interview,” he replied.  “But you’re welcome.  I’m happy to help with anything you need, brah.”

Steve blinked back the threat of tears and looked up at the building to avoid his compassionate gaze.  Chin had been calling him once a week to offer his assistance or a listening ear after his dad’s funeral, but until about a week ago, he’d pushed his old friend away.  “I know,” he mumbled.  “Thanks.”

Understanding as always, Chin clapped him on the back and gave him a little shove towards the entrance.  “Come on.  I know most of the people that work here.  I’ll introduce you around before your first class, Mister McGarrett.”

Steve allowed himself a small smirk at that.  “That’s gonna take some getting used to.”

“Maybe, but I think the Honolulu Police Academy is really grateful to have a Navy SEAL co-teaching Defense Tactics.”  Chin used the motion of opening the door to obscure his crestfallen expression.  “We’ve lost quite a few good cops recently.  With crime on the rise, we could really use some solid rookies.  Hopefully you’ll be able to teach them some advanced skills that’ll keep them alive in the field.”

Steve glanced around, taking in a long hallway lined with doors on either side.  “Oh yeah – I heard about a new one on the news the other day.  Some detective’s body turned up at a lūʻau?  Burned to a crisp with a badge stuck in his jaw…”

His progression down the corridor was curtailed when Chin seized his arm.  “Hey, keep it down!”   He leaned in close and lowered his voice.  “Fair warning – you might want to avoid talking about that one.  Word is there’s an I.A. investigation going on, and it’s getting ugly.  There’s been a rumor about a mole at HPD for a while now, and everyone’s starting to take sides.  Best to avoid it if you can.”

He let go and crossed his arms.  “Also, the guy’s partner is temporarily working here too while he’s recovering from a knee injury.  He’s no SEAL, but he’ll kick your ass into next week if you say anything bad or thoughtless about that case.”

Steve raised a brow.  He held no fear that a civilian police officer could do any real damage to his Navy-honed body, but determined it was probably best not to get in the middle of cop drama if he could help it.  “Noted.”

Chin’s shoulders relaxed, making Steve wonder at his involvement or opinion on the case.  He knew he’d had his own problems with Internal Affairs in the past, so it was likely a sensitive area.

“Good.  So to start, let’s see if we can find my cousin, Kono.  She’s been anxious to see you again.”

Steve smiled and followed him around as they popped in a couple of classrooms.  He remembered the little Kalakaua girl with fondness, and mused that it’d be nice to see her as well.

Twenty minutes of wandering did not turn up Chin’s cousin, but Steve did receive a thorough tour of the facility.  The trek around the building also gave him the chance to meet some of his new colleagues and learn their area of expertise.  There was Agent Lassiter (Criminal Law and Firearms), Professor Iakopa (Cultural Diversity), Agent Moore (Leadership) and Officer Olsen (Community Policing) to name a few.  They were kind enough and, in some cases, intimidated by him, but few made an impression that would warrant more than a casual acquaintanceship during his time here, until…

“OUT!  GET OUT, NOW!”

“Detective Williams, if you’d just answer the question…”

Steve and Chin stopped, both looking towards a door ahead of them on the left, through which they could hear the heated words.

“I’ve answered the question a hundred times, a hundred different ways, and my answer hasn’t changed!  Now get out of my class before I decide to beat it into your brain!”

The door blew open and a man in a rumpled suit stumbled backwards through it.  He recovered enough to glare at a figure leaning in the doorway, barely visible to them from their position.

“Don’t you dare show up here again, unless you’ve arrested Meka’s killer before I do!”

 _Meka…_ that name sounded familiar to Steve, as did _Detective Williams_.  He felt he should know who they were, but he couldn’t place why.

“Williams, you know you can’t investigate-”

The door slammed in his face before he finished the sentence.

The man stomped over and banged a fist against the wall.  After that, he put his hands on his hips, shuffling in place and shaking his head.  Then he turned and saw Steve and Chin staring at him.

“I take it Danny wasn’t happy to see you, Sergeant Cage,” Chin said in a lieu of a polite greeting.

The man – Cage – glowered at the deadpan detective.  “Williams is a fool,” he said.  “I can appreciate the difficulty this ordeal has been for him, but the evidence against Hanamoa is overwhelming.  Loyalty is a commendable attribute in small doses, but at this point, it’s just blind stupidity.”

“Or maybe it’s faith,” Steve mused.

Sergeant Cage approached and appraised him with a cynical eye.  “And you are?”

“Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett,” he responded.  “Former U.S. Navy SEAL.”

“An old friend of mine,” Chin elaborated.  “He’ll be taking over teaching Defense Tactics after Detective Hina goes on maternity leave.”

“I see.”  Cage held out a hand.  “An honor to meet you, Commander.  And I’d like to thank you for your service to our country, and to wish you good luck here at the academy.”  

Steve hesitated before he shook the guy’s hand.  He squeezed the offered appendage with more force than necessary.

Cage grimaced and shook out his fingers when Steve released them.  “Urk!  Well, perhaps I’d best be on my way.  I’ve a case to wrap up after all.”  He shoved his way between the two friends.  

Halfway down the hall, he spun around.  “A friendly warning to the both of you – stay clear of Detective Williams.  Once we close the books on Meka Hanamoa, it’ll only be a matter of time before we open one on him.”

Chin’s hands balled into fists at his sides.  “Oh yeah?  How’s that?”

The sergeant lifted a shoulder.  “Someone so vehement about defending a guilty partner is bound to raise some red flags.  Safe to say he’s got a few skeletons in his own closet.”

“You think he’s guilty of something too?”

“Maybe just for covering up his partner’s illegal actions.  Either way, you don’t want to be caught in the crossfire.”

“Guilty by association?” Steve surmised.  “Sounds like lazy police work, if you ask me.”  He snapped his fingers as though a brilliant idea occurred to him.  “You know, if you need a refresher course on the whole innocent-until-proven-guilty thing, you’re in the right place.”  

He leveled the sinister scowl he’d used on terrorists and enemy combatants upon the investigator.  “Or you could do your job right, and leave us to come to our own conclusions about who we associate with.”

Cage frowned, made a dismissive “hmph” noise, and retreated.

When he was gone, Chin’s posture sagged, and he blew out a breath.  “Sorry about that, Steve.  But now you know what I mean.  Meka Hanamoa was the one we were talking about earlier.  I.A. has evidence that he’d been working with Emilio Ochoa, the head of the Ochoa drug cartel, but Detective Williams doesn’t believe it.”

“And you?”  Steve asked.  “Do you believe he was guilty?”

Chin rubbed the back of his neck.  “I.A.’s been known to make mistakes,” he murmured.  “I didn’t know Meka well, so I can’t say.  But I _have_ worked with Danny Williams.  He’s abrasive and a proud _haole_ , but one thing I am sure of is that he’s a good man, and an even better cop.  Whatever Meka did or didn’t do, Danny wasn’t part of it.”

Steve hummed, more than willing to accept Chin’s assessment.  He really had no intention of getting involved in whatever was going on with this case, but he couldn’t say he wasn’t intrigued.

“I’m gonna check on Danny – see if he’s okay.  Do you want to come, or would you rather wait here?”  Chin laughed under his breath.  “He can be a bit much for some people, especially when he’s worked up – which I’m sure he is right now.”

“I’ll come,” Steve decided.  “I trust your judgement.  If you’re on friendly terms with him, then there’s no reason I can’t be, especially if I have to work with him.”  

Chin nodded and led the way to the recently abused door.  He knocked to alert the occupant of his presence, and opened it just enough to poke his head in.

“Danny?  It’s Chin.  You got a minute?”

“Sure,” called a subdued voice.

He smiled and waved Steve in after him.

Upon entering the classroom, Steve took the first few seconds to survey his surroundings.  Like the others he’d seen already that morning, it was a space large enough for about thirty or so students, with individual desks and chairs arranged in organized rows.  A window to their right overlooked the exercise yard, and the cream-colored wall to the left was adorned with canvas photos of their scenic state.  Overflowing bookshelves lined the back of the room, while a white board stretched across the whole of the front.

Standing at the board with his back to them was (presumably) Detective Danny Williams.  From his vantage, Steve observed that he was shorter than him, but broad-shouldered and fit.   His light blue dress shirt and dark slacks were pulled taut against a strong, compact body, a view that Steve found himself appreciating.  His hair was short and slicked back, blond at the top of his head but darker at the base of his neck.    

The man was holding onto a cane for support as he scribbled the board with notes about an upcoming exam on subpoenas and search warrants.  From the speed and force of the movements, Steve could tell that he was agitated by the encounter with the Internal Affairs officer.

“Hey, Danny.  We – uh – we ran into Cage outside.  Is everything okay?”  Chin asked.

The detective sighed and tossed the dry erase marker into the board’s tray.  “Oh, yeah - just peachy.  As if this pineapple infested hellhole wasn’t already out to get me, now I’ve got headhunters on my back too.”

He turned towards them and ran his fingers through his hair.  “Sorry.  I’m just pissed at everything right now.  But it’s good to see you, Chin.”  He hobbled over and held out his free hand.

Chin grasped it and nodded.  “It’s okay; I get it.  How are Amy and Billy holding up?”

Danny bowed his head to stare at his patent leather shoes.  “Oh – you know.  ‘Bout as well as you’d think, given the circumstances.”

“Right.  Malia and I were thinking of inviting them over for dinner, but we didn’t know if they’d be comfortable.  We only knew them in passing.”

Danny waved a hand.  “I can run it by Amy if you want.  But I’m sure they’d like the company.”

“You’ve coming too, of course.  It’s been too long since we’ve done anything together outside of work.”

“Sure, sure,” Danny chuckled.  “But we can talk about it later.  You haven’t introduced me to tall, dark and handsome here.”  He turned his full attention to Steve, his mood lightening a fraction as he absently fixed his tie.

“Right, sorry.”  Chin gestured between the two of them.  “Detective Danny Williams, this is Commander Steve McGarrett.  He’s starting here today.”

“McGarrett?” Danny echoed as they shook hands.  For a moment, something like recognition flashed in his eyes.  “I’m guessing you’ll be working with Hina?”

Steve nodded, though he hadn’t really heard the question, nor much of his previous conversation with Chin.  When Detective Williams had faced them, he’d become somewhat distracted.  The shorter man was gorgeous, and Steve was momentarily lost in his striking blue eyes.

It had been a long time since Steve was last attracted to another guy, and in that case, they hadn’t been in a relationship.  His old combat partner, Freddie Hart, was married and fully committed to his wife, but despite Steve’s more-than-friendly feelings, they had remained best buds up until his death a few months ago.

In the interim, he’d only been involved with women - mostly flings, and a sort of friends-with-benefits arrangements with one of his colleagues.  With all the trauma he’d endured recently, both physical and psychological, he just didn’t have any interest in sex or relationships; the weight of his grief had lain too heavy on his shoulders, and his mind had been busy constructing walls around himself to try and stop the pain.

But his heart, the little traitor, seemed to wake, and whispered the old adage that beauty could yet be found in the world.  Case in point - the charming detective staring up at him.

A charming detective who was starting to appear concerned.  “Ah, hello?  Earth to Commander?”  Danny glanced over at Chin.  “Is he always like this?”

“Sorry!” Steve said.  “I was just - I guess I’m just a little lost right now.”  He hurried to clarify, “I’m new at this teaching thing.  It’s not something I pursued in the Navy.”

“Navy?”

“Steve’s a SEAL.  Well, former Navy SEAL, I guess you could say,” Chin explained.  “You’re still in the reserves though, right?”

“Yeah.”  Steve swallowed the bile that threatened to return with his next statement.  “I decided to retire after my dad died.”  

He didn’t know why he bothered to disclose that part; it wasn’t like him to offer up such personal information for someone he’d just met, especially regarding something that was still raw and bleeding, but the words came out before he gave it much thought.

Danny’s grin softened into one of empathetic understanding.  “Your dad was John McGarrett, right?”  

Steve twitched.  “How did you know?” he asked, body tensing.

“I worked on his case,” Danny replied.  He took a slight step closer to him.  “I’m sure you’re sick of hearing this by now, and it probably means shit, but - I _am_ sorry for your loss.  I just lost my partner a little while ago.  I know it’s not quite the same thing, but I get how much it sucks.”

Steve shifted his stance and crossed his arms..  “I heard about that.  Chin kinda filled me in on the basics.”

“With all the tension running through HPD, I figured he should know a little,” Chin said.

Danny sighed.  “There’s a lot of gossip; he was bound to learn about it sooner or later.”  His brow furrowed, and he pointed a threatening finger at Steve.  “But don’t believe everything you hear.  Meka was good cop, a _clean_ cop.  He didn’t deserve to go out the way he did, and he wasn’t on the take.”

Steve held up his hands in a placating gesture.  “I just got here!  I don’t have an opinion either way,” he stated.  

Apparently, that was good enough for Danny.  He dropped his hand, then glanced up at a clock on the left wall.  “My students will be arriving soon; I should finish getting set up.”

“Do you need any help?” Chin offered.

Danny shook his head.  “Nah, I got it.”

“Then we’ll leave you to it.  I need to introduce Steve to Detective Hina.  I’m sure they’ll have a lot to discuss regarding teaching methods.”

“Of course.”  Danny inclined his head at Steve again.  “Hey, if you plan on demonstrating any advanced take-down techniques, do me a favor, huh?”

“What kind of favor?”

Danny smirked, which Steve found oddly alluring.  “Take it easy on the kids, okay?  It’s hard enough getting them to grasp the basic concepts of proper investigative procedures without adding concussions to the mix.”  He winked.

Steve let out a little laugh.  He rather liked Detective Williams.  From what he’d seen so far, the man had an interesting personality and quick wit, nevermind the good looks.  “I’ll do my best, Detective Williams.”

“Danny,” the blond corrected.  He extended his hand once more.  “Let me know if you need anything Commander.  And not just for the job, but - you know, regarding your recent loss.”

Strangely enough, Steve could tell that Danny was sincere.  He didn’t put much stock in most of the casual offers that his father’s mourners or family friends presented, but his gut told him he could trust his new co-worker.  He took Danny’s hand and simply held it.  “Thanks.  And its Steve.”

The two of them stared at one another for a few beats, until the door behind them burst open and a few bleary-eyed students shuffled in.

Danny let go and cleared his throat.  “Well, I’ll see you around, Steve.”

Steve and Chin maneuvered around the young adults pushing their way in to find seats, but the SEAL couldn’t stop himself from glancing back through the door once they were in the hall.  He might have stayed there if Chin hadn’t nudged him with his elbow.

“What?”  He frowned at the raised brow and upturned corners of his friend’s mouth.

Chin just chuckled.  “I didn’t say anything.” he teased.

Steve punched him in the arm.  “Good.  Now show me the way to my class.”

Chin gave a mock salute.  “Yes, sir!”


	2. Unwelcome Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Between the custody battle with his ex, Meka’s murder and I.A. investigation and the stack of unsolved cases waiting for him back at HPD, his hands were completely full. He did NOT need some dark Adonis coming in to complicate matters further.

Danny’s brows narrowed further and further as he read one of the student’s test essays, glaring as though it had personally offended him, which – in a way – it had.  Honestly, he assumed he was a better teacher than these exam scores would suggest, but clearly his students were not quite grasping the concepts.  Much of their confusion seemed to center around interrogation techniques.  Sure, there were times he wouldn’t mind hanging a suspect off a roof until he got answers, but unless one had full immunity and means, information generated from such an interview would be thrown out of court in a heartbeat.

Danny flipped the test back to the front page and tallied the incorrect answers.  He marked the top with a “C+” and tossed it onto the stack of graded exams.

He leaned back in his desk chair and swiveled from side to side, trying to temper his restlessness, but a twinge in his right knee caused him to cease his movements.  He grimaced and rubbed the sore joint, wishing it would heal up already.  He had a lot of work to do, and being confined to a classroom was not helping.

Danny’s eyes strayed to the window, as it had been over the past several hours.  From his vantage, he could see a very pregnant Detective Hina putting the cadets through their drills.  The sight made him laugh.  She was a cute little native woman, with a very sweet demeanor outside of work.  But as soon as her classes began, she transformed into the strictest and downright scariest drill sergeant he’d ever met.  In spite of that, recruits and coworkers alike loved and respected her, and there was no question that the rookies trained by her far outshined those that weren’t.  She would be missed when she took off to have the baby, and Commander McGarrett would be left with some (metaphorically speaking) big shoes to fill.

Speaking of, Hina must have elected to put Steve through his paces along with the students.  At some point, he had changed into athletic shorts and shoes, and was running laps (sans shirt) with a pack of exhausted-looking kids.

Danny mentally slapped himself to stop the train of inappropriate thoughts that had begun the instant he’d met the Commander and tried to go back to reviewing papers.  He’d already lost count of the number of times he’d gotten distracted from grading tests by glancing out the window.

Dammit!  What had he been thinking, flirting with Steve?  He’d meant it when he offered to be some assistance if needed, though technically, it was a bit improper given the circumstances.  Even so, he neither needed nor wanted any distractions.  Between the custody battle with his ex, Meka’s murder and I.A. investigation and the stack of unsolved cases waiting for him back at HPD, his hands were completely full.  He did NOT need some dark Adonis coming in to complicate matters further.

Of course, that was assuming Danny hadn’t imagined the spark between them.  For all he knew, Steve McGarrett simply had some sort of magnetic personality to go with that ridiculously hot body.  There was really no reason to read any deeper into their first meeting.

Danny glanced up at the window just in time to catch Steve finish a set of push-ups, and tempered his annoyance.  As much as he hated being confined to a desk and believed he shouldn’t get too involved, he could begrudgingly admit that there was no harm in appreciating the view.

“Knock, knock!”

Danny looked away from the exercise yard to find a young woman standing in the doorway, a grin on her face and a mischievous sparkle in her eyes.

He smiled back and motioned her in.  “I was wondering if you’d be coming by today, Miss Kalakaua.”

“I promised I would,” she replied.  She crossed the room and dropped her gym bag onto one of the empty desks.  “How’d the exam go?”

Danny groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose.  “Not as well as I’d hoped.”  He divided the pile of unread tests in half and waved one stack at her.  “Will you finish grading the multiple choice sections while I go through the essays?”

“Sure thing.”  Kono took the papers and was about the pull up a chair to Danny’s desk, but something else caught her attention.

“Hey, is that…?”  She walked over to the window.  “It is!  Steve’s here!”

Danny grabbed his cane and got up to join her.  “You know Commander McGarrett?”

“Yeah, _brah_.  He’s a family friend; we used to play together when I was little.  He’s like my big brother.”  She toned down the energy for her next statement.  “Plus his dad was Chin’s training officer.”

“Right,” Danny recalled.  Chin had told him that at one point, but it’d slipped his mind.

“Did you get a chance to meet him yet?”

Danny leaned back against one of the desks nearby to take some of the weight off his injured leg.  “Yeah.  Your cousin brought him ‘round this morning before my class started.”

They paused the conversation while they observed the Commander.  He was now crouched beside one of the cadets, who appeared to be struggling to finish his push-ups.  Steve’s lips were moving, and he clapped with each successful rep the student completed.

Suddenly Steve looked up, and since he was positioned directly in view of the window, he caught them watching him.  

Kono grinned and waved as she bounced on the balls of her feet.  Steve mirrored the gesture with equal enthusiasm.  

Then his gaze shifted to Danny.  He waved again, but his smile was more subdued, almost… shy.

Danny didn’t find that cute, not at all.

“Does he know?” Kono asked.

Danny flinched, and hoped that he wasn’t blushing.  “Know what?”

She turned away from the window to face him.  “That you and Meka were the ones who caught his dad’s killers?”

Danny almost sighed with relief, having briefly expected a different question altogether.  He considered for a moment.  “I don’t know.  I think so.”  He bowed his head and fiddled with his tie.  “I did mention that I worked on the case, but I didn't go into details.  And Meka - Meka went to his place, shortly after we finished processing Hesse and his associates, to give him the good news about the arrests, and to drop off some stuff for him.  I would have gone too, but the doctor didn’t want me walking around so soon after my injury, and M-Meka threatened to tie me to his couch if I so much as tried.”  

He tried to smile at the memory, but it was too soon, too bitter to deal with.  He knew from experience that one day he would be able to think and talk about his partner more freely, to look back on and share his memories with fondness and gratitude for having known him.  He and Amy and all of Meka’s friends would someday reach a point in time where they could each offer up the precious pieces of a man they’d all loved, and use them to build a lasting portrait of him in their hearts.

It would be especially important for Billy’s sake; the little boy was too young to really understand how and why he no longer had a dad.  Danny wanted to be able to tell the little guy all about him one day; to pass on every bit of knowledge and love that would enable him to feel connected to his father.

But right now, every little mention of Meka brought nothing but pain and anger.  Danny could hardly say his name without choking up.  Even the happiest memories were shadowed by grief, overwhelmed by the wrongness of his absence.  Add to that the internal affairs investigation that was slowly but surely tainting the image and reputation of him, a man who’d sacrificed everything for the job…

Danny cleared his throat.  Thinking about that would lead him down a dark and dangerous path, one that he was not prepared to inflict on anyone else, and certainly not his bright assistant.

“Anyway, um, Meka said that McGarrett was kinda out of it when he talked to him, walking around like a zombie and not really saying much.  So I’m not sure he remembers.”

“Well that’s no good.”

“What do you mean?”

Kono shrugged.  “Well, if it were me, I’d want to get to know the officer who caught my dad’s killer.  Especially now with Meka - oh, and your knee!  You tore your ACL all to hell during the fight with Victor Hesse.  I’d at least want to thank you.”

Danny chuckled and shook his head.  “That’s sweet of you to say, but I was just doing my job.”

“Still…”

Danny got up and shuffled back to his desk.  “If he happens to remember and wants to talk about it, I don’t mind.  But don’t bring it up if you can help it.”  He eased himself back into his chair.  “I’m sure he’s got enough to deal with.  Besides, I don’t want him getting involved with Meka’s case.”

Kono followed and moved one of the student’s chairs to sit opposite of him.  “Why not?  I mean, what could he possibly do anyway?”

Danny took an exam from the top of the ungraded pile and flipped through the pages to get to the essay.  “Probably nothing, but if I were in his shoes - I don’t know.  I might want to help.  But that’s _our_ job as police, to catch killers and look after our own.”

He wouldn’t admit it to her (since she obviously cared for the guy), but regardless of their initial friendly exchange, it was too soon for Danny to trust Commander McGarrett as anything more than an acquaintance.  And ever since Internal Affairs had starting accusing his deceased partner of wrongdoing, his short list of trustworthy cops (or anyone else) was growing shorter and shorter by the day.  Add yet another alpha male into the mix, especially one that had a connection, however minor, to Meka, and it would make Danny’s job all the more difficult.

“Okay.  You’re the boss.”

“Only until you graduate,” Danny answered.  “Come, my young padawan.  Let’s get these exams graded.  I’ll take you out for a dinner once we’re done.”

“You don’t have to do that,” Kono protested, though she flashed him a grateful smile nonetheless.

“I know.  But you’ve been a good student, and an even better T.A.  So let me spoil you a little.”

She brought a hand to her forehead in a salute.  “Aye-aye, sir!”

* * *

It took them about an hour and a half to grade all of the exams, but that was only because they made a game of who could finished faster.  Kono had the advantage, since she only had to make direct comparisons between correct and incorrect answers, and Danny was reading essays, but that didn’t stop them from trying to distract one another.  But at length, they each completed the last of the tests and almost simultaneously slammed them onto the finished stack.  

“Mine hit the pile first!  I win!” Kono declared.

Danny pretended to scowl at her, but he couldn’t manage it.  He was extremely thankful for her help, if not for the practical assistance, then at least for the company (which made the time go by so much faster).   “I would contest the fairness of the competition, but I’m too hungry to argue.  You ready to get out of here?”

“You bet!”  She skipped to the desk where she’d left her bag and slung it over her shoulder.

Danny stored all of the papers in one of his desk’s drawers and made sure to lock it.  After that, he grabbed his cane and knapsack, checked that he had his gun, badge, keys and wallet, and then he was ready to go.  

Kono threaded her arm through his free one.  Together, the two of them exited the building.

“Hey!  Kono!”

She looked around to locate the person who’d called, and beamed when she found him.  “Steve!”  She let go of Danny and ran towards a black Silverado.

McGarrett tossed his things in his truck through the passenger side door and slammed it closed.  He was still wearing his workout shorts and shoes, along with a t-shirt (Danny was both grateful and disappointed about that).  Steve caught the young woman in a hug.  

“I missed you,” Kono announced.  

“I missed you too,” Steve echoed.  He stepped back and looked her over.  “Look at you, all grown up.  And I hear you’re about to graduate and get your badge.  Congratulations!”

“Thanks!  Chin said you were starting here, but I didn’t know it was today.”

“Yeah.”

Danny observed their interaction with mild amusement.  They seemed close, which was definitely a good thing.  Family and friends were important; especially when one had to deal with a loss like McGarrett was in this season of his life.  

Danny knew that all too well, but as he was HPD’s mascot _haole_ , and most of his family was back in Jersey, his network was rather small.  Still, he was glad to see that the Commander had people who cared for him, whether or not he chose to accept them.    

Steve lifted a hand to acknowledge Danny.  “Hey.”

“Hey yourself,” Danny said.  He made his way over to them.  “How’d your first day go?”

Steve rubbed the back of his neck.  “Ah - pretty good, actually.  Detective Hina was brutal though; she could give the Navy trainers a run for their money.”

Danny laughed and nodded.  “Yeah, she’s a force to be reckoned with, but she’s as kind as she is terrifying.”

“She trained me,” Kono put in.

Steve took a few steps back.  “Really?  Guess that means I’m not supposed to mess with you anymore, huh?”

“Nope!  Not unless you want me to break your arm, and a bunch of other body parts,” she warned with a smirk.  “But never mind that.  What are you up to right now?  Danny and I were just about to go get something to eat.  You wanna come?  Danny’s buying.”

“Hey!”  Danny poked her in the side.

“What?  You are, aren’t you?”

He sighed and conceded.  “Yes, I am.”

“You don’t have to,” Steve insisted.  “Besides, I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

“You wouldn’t be intruding.  Right, Danny?” Kono argued.

Danny swore the SEAL looked almost hopeful while he weighed his options.  Although, that must be because he was eager to catch up with his childhood friend; there couldn’t possibly be any other reason for those wide, pleading puppy eyes.

 _‘You don’t know that,’_ his heart whispered.

 _‘Yes, I do!’_ his mind snapped.   _'Shut up and go back into hiding!’_

Steve’s eyes remained fixed on Danny’s, waiting for confirmation before making a decision.

Danny kept his expression neutral, even as a war waged in his head.  He had no strong objections about buying the guy dinner, but his anxiety-ridden brain maintained its staunch belief that it was far too risky to allow such an attractive man anywhere near him, not now that he’d just settled into a stable (if empty) routine, and definitely not with the chaos that was his work life.

But the other part of him, the part that he tried to keep prisoner behind walls constructed of sarcasm, digressive humor and self-preservation, craved human interaction of any kind, and pointed out that it was just dinner - nothing more than a cordial gesture between colleagues.  What harm could come of it?  Plus, Kono would be there; the two of them would no doubt ignore him while they reminisced.

He should learn to stop over-analyzing everything.  Would it really be such a chore to share a meal with his new co-worker, who just happened to be friendly AND nice to look at?  It wasn’t like it was a date or anything.

Danny allowed his lips to curve up and bobbed his head.  “You’re more than welcome to come if you’d like, Commander - er, Steve.  Consider it a congratulatory prize for surviving your first day at the academy.”

The apprehension in McGarrett’s countenance dissipated, and was replaced with a goofy grin.  Danny decided he’d made the right choice.

“Well, okay.  If you’re sure you don’t mind.”

Kono wrapped an arm around Danny’s shoulders and rocked him from side to side.  “Nonsense!  We don’t mind at all.”

“Hey, easy!” Danny scolded.  The swaying had made his knee spasm.  He adjusted his stance to lessen the discomfort.

“Oops!  Sorry, _brah_!”

Steve leaned against his truck and glanced down at Danny’s lame limb.  “How’d you hurt your leg?” he asked.  

Danny shot Kono a warning glance.  “Um, you know - long story.  So where do you two want to go?”

Thankfully, she took the hint.  “Hmm.  I’m fine with anything.  Oh!  Steve, have you been to Kamekona’s yet?”

Steve crossed his arms, seemingly unimpressed and curious at Danny’s less-than-subtle deflection.  He didn’t comment on it, but Danny could tell he wanted to.  “No, I’ve never heard of it,” he responded.

Kono clapped her hands.  “Good, then that settles it.  We’ll introduce you to the best shrimp truck on O’ahu.”

“It’s near Waikiki,” Danny explained.  He and Kono proceeded to give Steve directions and agreed to meet there in an hour, which would give each of them time to swing by their respective homes to shower or change.

“Alright.  I guess I’ll see you there.”  Steve circled around to the driver’s side of his truck and hopped in.  He started the engine, but prior to backing out of the parking space, he directed one more charming smile at Danny and waved.

As soon as McGarrett was gone, Danny headed for his silver Camaro, his student close on his heels.

“Hey Daaanny!”

He could hear the leer in her voice.  “Yes, Miss Kalakaua?”

“Was it just me, or was Steve giving you the ‘sexy eyes’?”

Danny adjusted the bag on his shoulder.  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Nooo, of course not,” she drawled.  Her vehicle was parked next to his, so he caught a glimpse of her “Christmas-came-early” expression when he opened his car door.

“Let it go Kono,” he admonished.

“Oh, come on boss!  I know what I saw!”

Danny turned and rested his arms on the top of the door.  “You saw nothing.  Now if you don’t mind, I’m starving, and I need to call my daughter before we meet.  I’ll see you Kamekona’s.”

He rolled his eyes at her sigh and slide into his seat, taking care not to aggravate his knee.  He shut the door, buckled his seatbelt and waited until she got into her own car and left to follow Steve.  

He took an extra moment to collect himself, repeating the mantra that there was nothing to worry about, that there was no reason to think McGarrett’s appearance in his life was anything life-altering.  At best, he’d make a new friend.  At worst…

Danny shook his head.  He couldn’t grant his natural pessimism the chance to formulate more endless and increasingly improbable scenarios.  He needed to keep his head on straight - for his students, for his kid, and for Meka.

He took a few deep breaths.  Soon after, his mind had cleared enough for him to feel somewhat at peace with the day’s events, and he drove off, ready to face whatever might come of the evening.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and kudos are always appreciate!


End file.
